


Mistletoe fic

by kayliemalinza



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Humor, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-07-31
Updated: 2008-07-31
Packaged: 2017-10-27 07:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/293092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayliemalinza/pseuds/kayliemalinza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gwen brings in some mistletoe to decorate the Hub for Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mistletoe fic

**Author's Note:**

> Set during Season One, around "Out of Time"

The mistletoe splays lavishly on Gwen's palm and she looks inordinately proud of herself, as if she had anything to do with said lavishness. Well, maybe she rubbed the leaves with a soft cloth to give them that extra shine—but only a few leaves, because then she got bored.

The rest of the team is gathered around her with varying expressions. Not one of them looks proud, and why should they? They didn't rub any leaves at all! And they certainly didn't drive out to a bit of freezing forest and spend the afternoon plucking mistletoe from the trees, tickling Rhys when the hem of his jacket rode up and then setting a sprig on top of his head, just so she'd have an excuse to kiss him slow and sloppy while they shiver.

At least, Gwen doesn't _think_ anyone else on the Team has done that.

She's going to keep a careful eye on Jack.

"Well?" she prompts, waggling the mistletoe enticingly.

"You know," says Jack, "Norse myth holds that the god Baldur was killed by an arrow made out of mistletoe."

"Isn't mistletoe parasitic?" Tosh asks.

"Apparently Christ's cross was made out of the wood from a mistletoe tree, which then withered into the modern-day vine after the Crucifixion," Ianto points out.

"It's for Christmas decorations!" Gwen cries.

"Well," says Ianto. "That's a bit insensitive."

Gwen's big brown eyes should be enough to make him repent, but then again, Ianto kicked a puppy once. It would make for an amusing anecdote, but the entire incident is classified. Not even Jack knows what happened.

"You lot have no sense of fun," Owen says huffily. He peers at the mess of dark green leaves, then turns to Gwen with his palms pressed together. "This is absolutely beautiful, Gwen," he says. "I, for one, appreciate your holiday enthusiasm. Sometimes, your smile is the only thing worth coming into work for."

"Oh," says Gwen, and blushes. The coy smile is charming on her, even though the effect is somewhat lost when she sends Ianto a glare for snorting. "I just wanted to spruce up the Hub a bit."

"Quite right!" says Owen, rubbing his hands together in glee. "And I know exactly where the first bit should go." He plucks a sprig from the pile and scurries over to his workstation. The team watches as he sets about hanging the mistletoe above his chair by means of the top of his computer monitor, a length of cardboard tubing, and cello-tape.

The team watches him with varying degrees of interest—Ianto looking bored, Tosh pained when Owen stands on the chair and wobbles dangerously close to his computer monitor—but the situation doesn't really warrant paying attention to until Jack sticks his hands in his pockets and swaggers over there. "Got it up yet?" he asks with an eyebrow waggle.

"Just—about," grunts Owen. He jabs at the contraption one last time, then jumps down from the chair with a spring-squeak that makes Ianto's lip curl.

"Great job," says Jack, glancing up at the mistletoe spinning slowly in a draft. The creased and double-folded cello-tape seems almost... diaphanous. And gummy.

Jack leans close enough for Owen to smell the flavor of jam he had for breakfast and purrs, "This is convenient."

"Right," says Owen, and climbs right back onto his chair to yank the mistletoe down.

"So much for holiday spirit," says Jack.

"You stay away from me," says Owen, and doesn't step down again until Jack's safely across the room.

Tosh smiles politely at Jack's victorious grin, but gives the rest of the team an assessing glance. "Perhaps this isn't such a good idea," she says. "It could cause... problems."

"Agreed," says Ianto immediately. Jack closes his mouth and gives Ianto a look. It's a rather interesting look, Gwen thinks.

"I don't think it'll cause any problems," she says earnestly. "We're all adults here, aren't we Jack?"

"Maybe I could make the mistletoe into a hat," Owen mutters, still over by his desk. "Then I could take it off in a second if I needed to."

"He could make it into roadstand offering free pies and it wouldn't do much good," Ianto says.

"Listen, there's nothing wrong with spreading a little holiday cheer at work," Jack says forcefully. "We're all mature people."

Gwen beams and nods, the mistletoe in her out-stretched hands seeming to quiver in agreement. Jack grins back and winks. Behind them, Owen rips the crumpled cardboard tubing from his computer monitor.

"Ah," says Ianto.

Tosh's mouth falls open in dismay.


End file.
